The new service will connect Peel Ports’ Liverpool with Lisbon, Setubal, Leixoes and Sines, with other links to Ireland, Scotland, Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands.
WEC Lines said: “This is a major new development for us, offering a dedicated, faster and direct container service for our customers in the Iberian peninsula, north Africa and the Canaries. We’re seeing growing demand to ship via Liverpool to provide better access to the heart of the UK. The additional supply chain benefits that Peel Ports are able to offer, from quayside services to trimodal transport options, have also been important in our decision. So our hope is that this will just be a first step towards increasing trade to important UK markets via the North West.”
The company is considering further opportunities in reefer and consumer goods on the route.
Ross Thomson, Sales Director, Peel Ports, added: “We’re delighted to be welcoming a new line to Liverpool, especially as the business drivers for the service underline the overall proposition that we’ve set out for the port. The shape of UK logistics is changing, with the North West providing shippers with the chance to reduce costs, congestion and carbon emissions by getting closer to the end market. Testimonials from our existing customers were pivotal in securing WEC Lines’ support for launching a new service. We are building an increasingly compelling case for cargo owners and lines alike to choose Liverpool.”
Work is continuing on construction at the Liverpool2 container terminal, with the next milestone being the arrival of CRMGs in the spring, and the national import centre at Port Salford.